Automatic heating plant



p 1937- v. M. CRUIKSHANK 2,093,999

AUTOMATIC HEATING PLANT Filed July 21, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTQRVZ7Z71LZL8 M. Crai/cskani ATTORNEYS AUTOMATIC HEATING PLANT Filed July21, 1933 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Vi'r inz'us M Cruikshank MPWATTORNEYS p 1937. v. M. CRUIKSHANK 2,093,999

AUTOMATIC HEATING PLANT Fild July 21, 1953 Y 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTORVil jl niws M. Cruikshank ATTORNEY-S pt 1937- v. M. CRUIKSHANK 2,093,999

AUTOMATIC HEATING PLANT Filed July 21, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTORVzgqz'nias MCraiks/bank B KWWW ATTORNEYS Patented Sept. 28, 1937 STATE-SATENT OFFICE 12 Claims.

This invention relates to heating plants and broadly aims to provide acompletely automatic heating plant for burning coal or other similarsolid fuels and which plant combines in a single sealed housing orenclosure, a fuel reservoir or magazine which is adapted to be directlycharged by the fuel dealer at a point exterior of the building in whichthe plant is located, the reservoir being of such capacity as to requirecharging only at such intervals as the average consumer purchases asupply of fuel, the housing also containing a furnace including a boilerand a fire bed to which the fuel is automatically supplied from thereservoir and upon which the fuel is burned, together with an ashstorage compartment accommodating removable receivers, the capacity 'ofwhich are such as not to require any attention between the periods ofthe usual refuse collection, together with means also located withinsaid housing for receiving and automatically conveying the ashesdischarged from the fire bed to I the receivers in the ash storagecompartment. The invention, in addition to residing in the novelconstruction, arrangement and combination of the foregoing elements toprovide a compact entity or unitary structure, contemplates a novel formof boiler by virtue of which a greatly increased efficiency is derivedproportionate to the fuel consumed, while a portion of the boilerstructure functions in the capacity of a water jacketed fuel chute orreservoir outlet adjacent the point of supply of fuel to the fire bed.

The invention further resides in the novel mannor of supporting theboiler so that the same is disposed above an ash receiving platform ortable, thereby affording a clearance space between the upper surface ofsaid platform or table and the bottom of the boiler to admit of themovement over said surface of an annularly movable device whichfunctions to simultaneously direct and convey the ashes radially outwardover said surface and to sweep the same therefrom throughcircumferentially spaced spill openings in the o platform or table, intosuitable ash receivers positioned thereunder and which ash receivers arelocated outside of the usual ash pit zone.

The invention further embraces a dewatering arrangement within the fuelreservoir, by virtue of which excessive moisture is effectuallyintercepted, drained off and conveyed away from the fuel supply in thereservoir to prevent any material quantity of the same from beingconveyed to the fire bed.

, The invention also embodies an arrangement for venting the fuelreservoir so as to admit fresh air thereto from a point exterior of thebuilding to supply, either through the medium of a blower or otherwise,air to theburner to promote proper combustion and draft, the arrangementbeing such as to also allow for the withdrawal from- 5 the reservoir ofany accumulation of gas therein and conveyance of such gases with theair supply for discharge from the reservoir, either to the burner forconsumption, or to any point of disposal desired so as to avoid anypossible hazard of gas explosion within the reservoir.

The invention further aims to provide a heating plant of the characterset forth which is comparatively simple and not complicated in itsconstruction or mode of operation, which is capa- 15 ble of beingeconomically produced, installed and maintained in working condition andwhich is highly efficient for its intended purpose.

With the above enumerated and other more detailed objects in view, whichare hereinafter set forth, reference is now made to the followingspecification and accompanying drawings in which there are disclosedseveral embodiments of the invention, while the appended claims embraceother variations which properly fall within their scope.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front view of a heating plant constructed in accordance withthe invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view therethrough on a larger scale. 1

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional View taken approximately on a planeindicated by the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view taken approximately on the lineindicated at 4--4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary front view of the furnace illustrating the firedoorway.

Fig. 6 is a detail plan view of the upper annulus of the clean-out meansfor the lower flue chamber.

Fig. '1 is a similar view of the lower annulus.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view showing the clean-outmeans in opened condition.

Fig. 9 is a similar view showing the clean-out means in closedcondition.

Fig. 10 is an enlarged detail fragmentary sectional view illustratingthe ash remover.

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary plan view thereof.

Fig. 12 is a detail sectional view taken approximately on the line l2-l2of Fig. 10.

Fig. 13 is a fragmentary sectional plan view illustrating an alternateform of the ash remover means and an alternate form of the removable 55burner unit support.

Referring to the drawings by characters of reference, A designatesgenerally the heating plant which preferably includes an independenthousing made up 5 which, in the present instance, is disclosed ascylindrical although the shape may be varied, a bottom wall I 6 and atop wall l1, the housing being of a size and proportion to beaccommodated by the average cellar or other room within which theheating plant is to be located. The housing is provided with a maindoorway I8 closed by a door l9, and supplemental doorways 20 closed bydoors 2| by virtue of which access is gained to the interior of thehousing.

Within the housing is located a furnace which is designated generally bythe reference character B, a fuel reservoir or magazine, designatedgenerally by the reference character C, and an ash storage compartment,designated generally by the reference character D, the housing having afuel charging opening 22 in the side and adjacent the top from whichthere leads outwardly a conduit 23 extending through an opening E in thewall F of the cellar or room within which the heating plant is located,said conduit 23 having a door or closure 24 through which the fuelreservoir may be charged or supplied with fuel from a point exterior thebuilding. The closure or door 24 is also provided with vent openings 25,the purpose of which is hereafter explained.

A horizontal platform or table 26 is arranged in the lower part of thehousing and spaced above the bottom l6, and which, in the presentinstance, is shown in the form of a partition which extends throughoutthe entire area of the housing, although it is not essential to thepresent invention that it be in this form.

The platform, table or partition 26, as illustrated, is supported bylegs 21 and the partition is provided with a central portion 28 which isdisplaceable to gain access upwardly therethrough to mechanism locatedthereabove or when said portion is removed to permit of the emplacementof an emergency grate. The central portion may also be displaced in theevent of failure of the ash remover means so that the ash receptacle maybe located directly under the fire bed where by the ashes may directlyfall in the said receptacle. The outer portion of the platform, table orpartition 26, which extends beyond the legs, defines together with thebottom IS of the housing and wall l5, an ash storage space and saidportion is provided with a plurality of circumferentially spaced spillopenings 29. Within the ash storage space D which is thus defined, theash receivers 30 are adapted to be arranged, one under each of the spillopenings and access is gained to said receivers through the main door l9and the supplemental doors 2|. In emplacing or removing the ashreceivers, the rearmost one is inserted or withdrawn by direct fore andaft movement through the main front door and between the legs orsupports 21. The two receivers located adjacent the rearmost one arepreferably connected by a hook or some suitable form of coupling meansto the next adjacent forward receiver so that each of said pairs areemplaced or removed together. In order to facilitate the emplacement andremoval of the ones next to the rearmost, curved guides 3| are provided.It is; of course, obvious that the outermost receiver and the two nextto it"may be readily emplaced or removed through the main andsupplemental doorways.

of a continuous vertical wall lindrical baffle 45 which The furnace Bincludes a boiler which comprises vertically spaced and aligned upperand lower, substantially annular, headers designated generally by thereference characters 32 and 33, and fire and water tubes 34 and 35connecting said headers. The fire tubes 34 extend through the watertubes and the headers from the upper wall or tube sheet 36 of the upperheader to the lower wall or tube sheet 31 of the lower header throughwhich walls or tube sheets said fire tubes open. The water tubes 35extend from the lower wall or tube sheet 38 of the upper header, to theupper wall or tube sheet 39 of the lower header and open therethrough toestablish communication between the headers. As shown, the relativediameter of the fire and water tubes are such as to define therebetweenannular water legsextending between the headers by means of which thecolumns of water contained therein are rapidly heated. The outer wall 40of the upper header is annular or cylindrical while the inner wall isfashioned to provide a depending funnel shaped fuel feed hopper 4| fordirecting the fuel therethrough for discharge into a fire bed therebelowand within the combustion chamber 42 defined by the headers and watertubes, The inner wall of the upper header which defines the fuel feedhopper 4|, comprises inner and outer upwardly and outwardly divergentfun nel shaped portions 43 and 44 which are joined at the upper endsrespectively to the upper and lower walls or tubes sheets 36 and 38 ofthe upper header 32 and which portions 43 and 44 are joined together attheir lower ends so that the fuel feed hopper 4| is water-backed orwaterjacketed.

The furnace also includes a substantially cyextends upwardly from thelower header, surrounding the water tubes and terminating at a pointspaced below the lower wall or tube sheet of the upper header. furnacefurther includes an outer cylindrical shell 46 which is spaced from theheaders and bafiie, with the upper end of said outer shell disposed insubstantially the same plane with the upper wall or tube sheet of theupper header and with the lower end of said outer shell extending belowthe lower wall or tube sheet 31 of the lower header. A wall 41 extendsdownwardly from the lower inner corner of the lower header and the loweredge terminates in a plane coincident with the wer end of the outershell 46.

46 and the wall 41 to define a lower annular flue chamber 48 with whichthe fire tubes 34 communicate and into which opens the lower end of anannular flue space 49 defined between the bafile 45 and the outer shell46. The furnace is completed by an upper annular fiue chamber 50 whichis defined in part by the upper wall or tube sheet 36, of the upperheader and by a wall section 5| which bridges the space between theupper-header and the outer shell 46. The upper flue chamber 58 isfurther defined by a funnel shaped inner wall 52 which extends from theupper inner edge of the upper wall or tube sheet 36, upwardly andoutwardly to an annular side wall 53, the funnel shaped wall 52 openinginto the upper end of the fuel feed hopper 4|. Obviously, as shown, theupper ends of the fire tubes open into and communicate with the upperfiue chamber 50 and a. flue outlet 54 is provided in the upper fluechamber from which a,

conduit 55 leads through the housing I5 to the chimney.

The boiler and other furnace elements may be supported in any desiredmanner so as to dispose the lower end thereof above and in spacedrelation to the upper surface of the platform, table or partition 26,but for the purposes of the present illustration which is not intendedas a limitation upon the scope of the invention, said elements aresupported from a funnel shaped member 51 which constitutes the mainhop-per portion of the fuel reservoir C and the lower end of whichmember 5? opens into the upper portion of the funnel shaped wall 52. Thepurpose of supporting the boiler and other furnace elements in spacedrelation to and above the upper surface of the platform, table orpartition 26, is to afford a clearance space to permit of the employmentof means for effecting annular and radial movement of the ashes andresidue beyond the confines of the furnace into the receivers providedin the ash storage space, so that room is afforded for the accommodationof a large amount of ashes to avoid the necessity of frequent removalthereof. It will be observed that due to the size of the fuel reservoir,a capacity is provided which requires charging only at such intervals asthe average consumer ordinarily purchases a supply of fuel, inasmuch asthe reservoir will, in the larger sizes, accommodate approximately fourtons of fuel. It will also be observed that the consumer is not requiredto handle the fuel which is automatically sup-plied to the fire bed,either solely by gravity, as shown, or through any equivalent feedmeans.

The burner unit, shown in the present instance, is one of a number oftypes which are now in use, the one shown constituting a fire bed supporting member 68 having draft openings 6i and a central unaperturedportion 62 upon which a rotary impeller 63 is mounted to turn and feedthe fuel radially outward at such a speed that the fuel is completelyconsumed by the time it reaches the outer marginal edge of the fire bedmember and the ashes and residue drop therefrom onto the platform, tableor partition 26. The burner unit is constructed in such a manner as todefine under the fire bed supporting member, a draft chamber 64 to whichan air draft is conveyed by a conduit 65, which leads from the outlet 66of a blower 61 and through which conduit extends a drive shaft 68operatively connected with and driven by a motor 59 which also drivesthe blower 6'5. The drive shaft has a driving connection with theimpeller 63 at a point located within and adjacent the axial center ofthe draft chamber M. The burner unit is removably supported by thefurnace within the combustion chamber, in one of several ways, wherebyits removal or emplacement may be readily and expeditiously effectedwith the greatest facility. As illustrated in Figs. 3 and l of thedrawings, the conduit 55 is formed with a casting M which is providedwith vertical grooves E5 on its opposite sides to engage with lugs 16 onthe ends of the lower header 33 at a cut-away portion thereof, while thebaffle 35 and outer shell of the furnace to are formed with alignedinner and outer fire doorways H to permit of the introduction of theburner head to the furnace and its removal therefrom as well as handfiring of the furnace in an emergency, as hereinafter explained. Theedge of the outer doorway fl is notched to accommodate the forwardportion of the casting after its grooves 15 are seated over the lugs l6and when the fire door 18 is closed the furnace is sealed. Likewise, itwill be noted that the fire and water tubes are eliminated adjacent thefire doorways to allow for the emplacement and removal of the burnerhead. In this instance, the burner head is introduced through the firedoorway and the casting 14 brought to a point where the grooves 15 aredirectly over and align with the lugs 56 after which the complete burnerunit is lowered to slide the grooved sides it"; of the casting intoplace.

An alternate manner of introducing and supporting the burner isdisclosed in Fig. 13 in which the outer shell it of the furnace isprovided with an opening l9 below the fire doorway and the burnerconduit 65 extends through and has secured thereto a closure plate 8!!which is bolted in position by bolts 3! to cover the opening 19 andattach and support the burner unit in place.

The ash removing means is so constructed and arranged as to effect acompound translatory movement of the ashes over the surface of theplatform or tab-e and outwardly and about the furnace and boiler beyondthe confines thereof so as to sweep the same from such surface throughthe spill openings 29 into the underlying ash receivers 35 so that allof the receivers are uniformly filled. Several embodiments of the ashremoval means have been illustrated by way of example and in the formshown in Figs. 2, 3, l0, l1. and 12, a driven rotary shaft 84 isemployed wh ch extends radially outward from a bearing 85 in a member 85which is swiveled for free turning movement about the lower end of theii mller shaft 5] which depends from the draft chamber 64. The outer endof the shaft extends to a point beyond the outer side of the spillopenings and is journaled in the frame of a truck 88 which is supportedby truck wheels 89 bearing on and adapted to roll over the upper surfaceof the platform, table or partition 26, in a path out-side of or beyondthe spill openings 29. The shaft 8 3 is formed with a worm or screwconveyor blade 9!! which upon turning movement, feeds the ashesoutwardly as the shaft is bodily moved in an annular path over thesurface of the platform or table. A follower scraper blade ill issuspended from the bight 92 of a bail, the arms 93 of which are providedwith bearings 94 surrounding the shaft 8% which freely turns within thebearings so that the follower scraper blade pushes and maintains theashes to be acted upon by the conveyor. The outermost portion of thefollower scraper blade is curved rearwardly adjacent its outer end as at95 to present a concavity in its forward or leading face within whichthe ashes pocketed so as to facilitate the sweeping of the same from theplatform or table surface through the spill openings 29, the concavityalso serving to prevent the ashes from reaching that portion of thesurface which serves as the path for the traction wheels. The rotarydriven. shaft as imparts motion to the traction wheels 89 through themedium of a gear 95 which meshes with pinions 9'! on the traction wheelaxles 98. It will be observed that the pitch and feed of the worm orscrew conveyor blade 98 is such with reference to the direction ofrotation of the shaft and translatory movement thereof that there is notendency of obstructions to jam between the outer edge of the blade andthe surface of the platform or table which might interfere with theproper operation of the ash removal means. In other words, as viewedfrom the outer end, the shaft 64 turns in a clockwise direction whilethe traction wheels turn in a counter-clockwise direction due to thegearing arrangement. Due to the free pivotal mounting of the followerscraper, its lower edge engages with the upper ash receiving surfacegravitationally, so that in event of encountering obstruction thescraper will be lifted and ride over the same thereby avoiding jammingwhich might result in damage to the mechanism. Obviously, the shaft 84may be driven in various ways but in connection with a burner unit ofthe type illustrated, the depending portion of the shaft 8! is providedwith a bevelled gear 99 which meshes with a, bevelled pinion I securedto the inner end of the shaft 84.

The ash removal means, in its alternate form shown in Fig. 13 inclu esthe radial shaft 84 journaled in and supported at its outer end by thewheeled truck 88 with a single driven traction Wheel 89, the other wheelbeing in the nature of an idler supporting wheel. In this instance,however, the worm or screw conveyor blade 96 is eliminated and a pusherscraper blade I0! is employed which is fashioned to present a convexcurved inner portion forming a cammed impeller surface, while the outerportion is reversely curved at I02 to present a concavity for pocketingthe ashes. In this instance, the central portion of the blade I M may,if desired, be supported in closely spaced relation to the ash receivingsurface of the platform 26, by a trailer caster roller I03 which bearson said surface of the platform or table 26.

In order to partition off the space between the lower end of the boilerand the upper surface of the platform or table 26 in so far as it ispossible to do so, an annular closure member I 04 is pro vided whichrests on the platform or table and extends upwardly therefrom to bridgethe space between the platform and the lower end of the boiler. Thisseal or closure member I04 is formed with a notch to provide a passageaccommodating therethrough the shaft, scraper blade and other elementsof the ash removal means and to afford an outlet through which the ashesmay pass outwardly. The seal or closure member I04 is designed to beturned with the ash removal means by radial push arms I06 which aresecured to and radiate from the swiveled member 81 with the outer endsof the push arms engaging with radially inwardly directed lugs III! onthe ring or annulus I 04.

In order to seal off and enclose the ash removing means, an annular wallI08 is secured to and extends upwardly from the platform, table orpartition 25, at a point outside of the path of movement of the truck 88and a covering I09 is arranged thereover and extends inwardly therefromto the outer shell 46 of the furnace. This construction permits of theelimination of a portion of a continuous vertical wall I which liesbetween the partition and the upper end of the reservoir forming member51. The covering I09 is preferably removably supported by supportingmeans IIO on the shell 46 and is preferably made up of sections thuspermitting its ready removal to gain access to the interior whendesired.

In view of the fact that coal or other similar solid fuels are wetted sothat the supply contains water or a considerable content of moisturewhich, in a, large capacity gravity feed fuel reservoir will drainthrough the outlet, the present invention comprehends a means forintercepting and conveying 01f the moisture before it reaches the outletof the reservoir. This means consists I05 opening through its lower edgeof one or more sheds, two being illustrated in the present instance,namely, an upper shed III! and a lower shed I I I. The upper shed islocated within the confines of the reservoir defining member 51 and isin the nature of an inverted funnel shaped body open at its upper andlower ends and supported by radial spider arms II2. Obviously, the shedintercepts and deflects water from the main body of fuel thereabove anddirects the same toward the wall of the reservoir which is provided at apoint therebelow with a gutter I I3, the diameter of which gutter isless than the diameter of the lower enlarged end of the shed body. Also,the gutter is canted or inclined and at the lower portion thereofcommunicates with a drain pipe H5. The lower shed in the presentinstance, is also in the form of an inverted funnel shaped body which isclosed at its upper end and supported by an upwardly extending shaftII5. A lower gutter I I6 is provided in close proximity to the lower endof the fuel feed hopper II and is slightly inclined and communicates atits low-- est portion with the drain pipe II! which drain pipe togetherwith the drain pipe H4 discharge into common drain pipe H3. In additionto performing its function .as a shed, the lower member III alsofunctions in the capacity of a stopper when moved downwardly intocontact with the wall of the fuel feed hopper II, as shown in dottedlines in Fig. 2, the said downward movement being effected when theshaft H5 is moved downwardly. The shaft is pivotally connected to oneend of a lever II 9 which lever is fulcrumed at I20 to a bearing bracketI 2I secured to and depending from the top I! of the housing. Theopposite end of the lever has connected therewith a manipulator rod I22which extends through an aperture in the member 51 and is normallysecured in a position to hold the shed III raised by engagement with adetent I 23 on the inner wall of the housing or upon any other suitablesupport.

The shaft I I5 is preferably in the form of a hollow tube or pipe havinga passage I 24 opening through the lower'end within the shed II I andextending therefrom upwardly and communicating with a flexible conduitI25 which leads outwardly of the reservoir and connects with the outletor pressure side of the blower so as to discharge through the reservoiroutlet a draft of air from a point within said outlet so as to drive offgases therefrom and prevent any possibility of accumulation andexplosion of the same within the fuel reservoir.

A stack I26 extends through the reservoir wall member 51 and terminatesadjacent the top wall I! and is provided with a covering or protectorapron I21, the lower end of the stack being connected by a conduit I 28to the blower intake to supply air thereto which is admitted through thevent openings 25 in the filling door or closure 24 and at the same timeeffecting circulation of air in the fuel reservoir and tending to drawoff any gases which may accrunulate therein, so that said gases are fedto the combustion chamber and consumed therein.

The lower end of the lower flue chamber is closed by suitable meanswhich is so constructed nulus I32 having circumferentially arranged andspaced apertures I33, the apertures in the upper annulus being normallystaggered with relation to the apertures in the lower annulus so thatthe bottom of the flue chamber is closed but adapted to be opened uponregistration of the apertures.

In order to facilitate dislodgment of the material collected, the upperface of the upper annulus is faceted to provide the surfaces I34 whichincline to the openings I33 and with adjacent surfaces extending to asharp edge or point. In order to provide means for agitating the upperannulus to effect the dislodgment of the material, the same is providedwith a depending stud I35 which extends through one of the apertures I3Iof the lower annulus and'provides a manipulator which may be. engaged bya suitable implement for accomplishing the agitating operation.

In order to provide means for varying the tractive force of the truckwheels 89, the truck is provided with a suitable support MB having anupstanding stud MI, and weights [G2 are positioned over the stud andseated on the support I40.

The fuel reservoir may be equipped with an emergency reserve fuel supplywhich is adapted to be consumed only in event the supply in the mainreservoir is completely used up before the user realizes that thereservoir needs recharging. For this purpose, an emergency supply binI56 is provided which is located within the main reservoir C and whichis so arranged as to be filled, if empty, when the main reservoir isfilled. The bin is open at the top and has a restricted outlet I5! atits lower end which is normally closed by a weighted spherical closureelement I52 which gravitates to its closed position and which hasconnected therewith a flexible pull element or chain I53 trained aroundguides I56. When it is desired to render the emergency supply in the binI53 available, the fiexible element I53 is utilized to draw the closureelement I52 upwardly through the supply of coal in the bin and saidclosure element will rest on top of the supply and will move downwardlytherewith as the fuel supply level recedes, until the closure elementagain automatically closes the outlet I5I.

What is claimed is:

1. In an automatic heating plant for burning solid fuels, a furnace, aburner unit removably associated with said furnace and having a fire bedsupport located within the combustion chamber thereof and a platformhaving an upper ash receiving surface, said platform extending outwardlybeyond the sides of the furnace and adapted to receive thereon ashesdischarged from the fire bed support and a removable central portion ofsaid platform adapted to be displaced to permit of the insertion ofanemergency grate.

2. In an automatic heating plant for burning solid fuels, a furnacehaving a combustion chamber and a burner unit including a fire bedsupport located within the combustion chamber; a platform having anupper surface adapted to receive ashes discharged from the fire bedsupport, said platform having a portion extending outwardly beyond thesides of the furnace and said extended portion having circumferentiallyarranged spill openings, and ash removal means movable in an annularpath over the upper surface of said platform for simultaneouslyeffecting the conveyance of the ashes radially outward beyond the sidesof the furnace and the sweeping of the ashes from the platform throughthe spill openings.

3. In an automatic heating plant for burning solid fuels, a furnacehaving a combustion chamber, a burner unit including a fire bed supportlocated within the combustion chamber, and stoking mechanism forsupplying fuel to the fire bed support; a platform having an uppersurface adapted to receive ashes discharged from the fire bed support,said platform having a portion extending outwardly beyond the sides ofthe furnace, the extended portion of said platform havcircumferentiallyarranged spill openings, ash removal means movable in an annular pathover the upper surface of the platform for simultaneously effecting theconveyance of the ashes radially outward and the sweeping of the samefrom the platform through said spill openings, and means operable bysaid stoking mechanism for driving the ash removal means.

i. In an automatic heating plant for burning solid fuels, a furnacehaving a combustion chamber and a burner unit including a fire bedsupport located within the combustion chamber; a platform having anupper surface adapted to receive ashes discharged from the fire bedsupport, said platform having a portion extending outwardly beyond thesides of the furnace and said extended portion having circumferentiallyarranged spill openings, and ash removal means movable in an annularpath over the upper surface of said platform for simultaneouslyeffectingthe conveyance of the ashes radially outward beyond the sides of thefurnace and the sweeping of the ashes from the platform through thespill openings, said ash removal means comprising a driven shaft havinga worm conveyor thereon, a wheeled truck to which the outer end of theshaft is journaled and gearingon the shaft and truck wheels for drivingthe latter to obtain traction of the wheels on the platform surface.

5. In an automatic heating plant for burning solid fuels, a furnacehaving a combustion chamber and a burner unit including a fire bedsupport located within the combustion chamber; a platform having anupper surface adapted to receive ashes discharged from the fire bedsupport, said platform having a portion extending outwardly beyond thesides of the furnace and said extended portion having circumferentiallyar' ranged spill openings, and ash removal means movable in an annularpath over the upper surface of said platform for simultaneouslyeffecting the conveyance of the ashes radially outward beyond the sidesof the furnace and the sweeping of the ashes from the platform throughthe spill openings, said ash removal means comprising a driven shafthaving a worm conveyor thereon, a wheeled truck to which the outer endof the shaft is journaled and gearing on the shaft and truck wheels fordriving the latter to obtain traction of the wheels on the platformsurface, and a follower scraper fulcrumed on the shaft and spacedtherefrom.

6. In an automatic heating plant for burning solid fuels, a furnacehaving a combustion chamber and a burner unit including a fire bedsupport located within the combustion chamber; a platform having anupper surface adapted to receive ashes discharged from the fire bedsupport, said platform having a portion extending outwardly beyond thesides of the furnace and said extended portion having circumferentiallyarranged spill openings, and ash removal means movable in an annularpath over the upper surface of said platform for simultaneouslyeffecting the conveyance of the ashes radially outward beyond the sidesof the furnace and the sweeping of the ashes from the platform throughthe spill openings, said ash removal means comprising a driven shafthaving a worm conveyor thereon, a wheeled truck to which the outer endof the shaft is journaled and gearing on the shaft and truck wheels fordriving the latter to obtain traction of the wheels on the platformsurface, the gearing being such as to cause the truck wheels to beturned in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the shaftand conveyor.

7. In an automatic heating plant for burning solid fuels, a furnacehaving a combustion chamber and a burner unit including a fire bedsupport located within the combustion chamber; a platform having anupper surface adapted to receive ashes discharged from the fire bedsupport, said platform having a portion extending outwardly beyond thesides of the furnace and said extended portion having circumferentiallyarranged spill openings, and ash removal means movable in an annularpath over the upper surface of said platform for simultaneouslyeffecting the conveyance of the ashes radially outward beyond the sidesof the furnace and the sweeping of the ashes from the platform throughthe spill openings, said ash removal means comprising a driven shaft, awheeled truck supporting the outer end of the shaft, the truck wheelsbeing driven by the shaft and a pusherscraper blade supported by theshaft and fashioned to present a convex curved inner portion forming acam impeller acting upon the ashes on the surface of the platform toeffect compound translatory outward and annular movement thereof.

8. In a furnace for burning solid fuels, a fire bed support, means forreceiving the ashes discharged from the fire bed support, and means forconveying and distributing the same successively at locations spacedcircumferentially about and outside of the furnace.

9. In a furnace for burning solid fuels, a fire bed support, a pluralityof ash receptacles located outside of the furnace and arrangedcircumferentially thereabout, means for receiving the ashes dischargedfrom the fire bed support, and means for conveying and distributing thesame successively to said receptacles.

10. In a furnace for burning solid fuels, an automatically stokedcircular fire bed support, and means for receiving the ashes dischargedfrom the fire bed support and conveying the same radially outward fromand circumferentially with reference thereto, said means comprising amember having a horizontal ash receiving surface disposed below theupper surface of the fire bed support and extending outwardly beyond andaround the outside of the furnace with circumferentially arranged spillopenings therein exterior of the furnace, a removable receiver locatedbelow each spill opening, a driven radially projecting element movablein an annular path over said ash receiving surface for simultaneouslyconveying the ashes radially outward and for sweeping the same from saidsurface successively through the spill openings into the receivers.

11. In a furnace for burning solid fuels, an automatically stokedcircular fire bed support, and means for receiving the ashes dischargedfrom the fire bed support and conveying the same radially outward fromand circumferentially with reference thereto, said means comprising amember having a horizontal ash receiving surface disposed below theupper surface of the fire bed support and extending outwardly beyond andaround the outside of the furnace with circumferentially arranged spillopenings therein exterior of the furnace, a removable receiver locatedbelow each spill opening, a driven radially projecting element movablein an annular path over said ash receiving surface for simultaneouslyconveying the ashes radially outward and for sweeping the same from saidsurface successively through the spill openings into the receivers, saidelement having driven traction means at its outer end engaging with theupper surface of said member, and means for varying the tractive forceof said traction means.

12. In a furnace for burning solid fuels, a fire bed support, a furnacewall extending around and below the fire bed support, an ash platformspaced below said furnace wall and extending outwardly therefrom withthe protruding portion of said platform disposed in surrounding relationto the furnace, a driven ash remover travelling over said platform andextending through the space between the furnace wall and the platformfor moving the ashes radially outward over the platform onto the portionthereof outside of the furnace, and a sealing ring rotatable with theash remover for closing said space, said sealing ring having a notchthrough which the ash remover extends and through which the ashes pass.

VIRGINIUS M. CRUIKSHANK.

